The present invention relates to rotary sprinklers, and particularly to the impact-type rotary sprinklers widely used in water-irrigation systems.
Impact-type rotary sprinklers commonly include a nozzle rotatably mounted to a mounting member and formed with an orifice for discharging a water jet, and an impact member carried by the nozzle for periodically receiving impacts effective to rotate the nozzle about its mounting. In the conventional impact-type rotary sprinkler, the impact member is usually in the form of an abutment which periodically receives mechanical impacts from a mechanical member carried by the nozzle, such as from a pivotably-mounted hammer which is deflected away from the abutment by the water jet discharged by the nozzle orifice and is spring-urged towards the abutment to impact it during the return pivotal movement. A disadvantage of the conventional impact-type rotary sprinklers is that mechanical impacts of one solid member against another produces wear and tear on the impacted surfaces, which decreases the useful life of the water sprinkler and increases the need for frequent adjustment, repair, and/or replacement of parts, in order to maintain proper operation of the sprinklers.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel impact-type rotary sprinkler having advantages in the above respects.